Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 110



Only Krnovel

EP 5 – Love Story

In this country, it is common for yellow-skinned monkeys to be hit on the street.

Less than 20 years ago, when there was a war shouting “kill japs,” it could be said that monkeys were guilty of living near the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The Korean expression is ‘earning one’s own punishment.’

So, on a nice day in April, when I was getting beaten up in a back alley, I thought, ‘This is all my fault.’ It could be said that it was not because my will was weak, but because the times were strange.

People these days may have a hard time imagining it, but back in the day, beating a guy was considered manly, and beating a guy was like a sissy.

In order to maintain a minimum of ‘manliness’ while being beaten like a girl, I held back my tears, thinking that this pain was a trial given to me by God.

It was those kind of times.

“hey! “You fucking Jimmy bastards!”

But then some strange woman picked up a piece of dockside board and ran towards me, swatting at the guys who were hitting me as if she was chasing away some seagulls.

Of course, what kind of strength can come from slender forearms? The way she waved her board around was like fanning the air in the grand scheme of things.

However, since hitting a woman was unmanly, some of the tramps who had beaten me went on their way, spitting phlegm on the street.

I barely got up from the street, pondering whether it was unmanly to hit a woman, but to beat up a yellow guy walking down the street was manly.

Of course, an unknown woman held out her hand to help me up, but it was unmanly to hold on to it, so I got up on my own. (It was like this until then)

When the woman saw me shaking off her help, she looked at me with a disapproving look, and I spoke bluntly because I was embarrassed to have received help from a woman.

“Why did you help me?”

“Then, are you just sitting still while someone is being beaten?”

Still, I was grateful that there were people in this country who saw me as a human being. But it is unmanly to show it outwardly.

Instead of saying thank you, I said this.

“It’s nothing special, but make a fuss about it.”

“Ah yes. Thank you. “I’m so proud.”

Even though I was feeling ashamed inside, wondering why I couldn’t easily say thank you, I said this to appear as proud as possible.

“My name is John Stillwell, and I live in the red building next to the shipyard over there. He is very American on the outside. “If there is anything you need my help with, come see me.”

At this time, I secretly expected her to tell me her name and place of residence. I didn’t know it at the time, but later, after hearing her question and looking back, I couldn’t deny that I had such dark feelings.

Anyway, instead of introducing herself, the woman who heard me smiled brightly and said this.

“Good for you! Then follow me right away!”

“what?”

“hurry!”

She grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the alley. And she headed somewhere, leading to the middle of downtown Brooklyn.

I was so embarrassed that I almost fell once, but after that I was easily dragged by her and kept pace.

Then suddenly I saw the world.

It looked different.

A red brick house with smoke rising from the chimney. Longshoremen walking in and out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Children playing and chasing seagulls. A boy selling newspapers and a gentleman buying newspapers. A young lady and a young man lightly walking out of the entrance of a movie theater. And me running through this busy city center, her holding my wrist and taking me somewhere.

On a nice day in April, white clouds were flowing quietly like a whale hanging out.